10 February by Miriam Heale

Atkins has been working with Hexicon on the design since last year, and is now in the process of analysing the structure ready for front-end engineering design (Feed) and physical model testing later this year.

Katherine Ward, project manager in Atkins’ renewables business, speaking to www.renewableenergyfocus.com said: “We’re really pushing the boundaries of what can be done to support Hexicon in maximising energy yield through clever design. The team has a great deal of experience in innovative, transformational work both in the renewables and oil and gas sectors and on this project we are going one step further in making such an exciting concept a reality.”

"Our aim is for this project to show how a multi-turbine concept can help bring down the cost of offshore wind, enabling this form of renewable energy to be even more financially viable," said Hexicon project director Marcus Thor.

The two-turbine 8-12MW structure will be deployed at the Dounreay Tri demonstration site off the north coast of Scotland, with commissioning scheduled for June 2018.